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$88M Oakland-San Jose Track & Station Improvements
Plus New Amtrak Station In 2003
http://www.trainweb.com/news/2002/2002i27a.html
Construction Groundbreaking Ceremony
Track and Station Improvement Program
Between Oakland and San Jose
A comprehensive $88 million program of improvements for additional Capitol Corridor trains to
San Jose, financed courtesy of the Governor's Traffic Congestion Relief Program, California
Department of Transportation, and local city funds
Friday, September 27, 2002
Event begins at 2:08 p.m.,
upon arrival of Capitol Corridor Train 537
Oakland Jack London Square Amtrak Station
The Embarcadero at Alice St.
KEYNOTE:
The Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet,
Secretary, California Business Transportation & Housing Agency
SPEAKERS:
The Honorable Jerry Brown, Mayor, City of Oakland
The Honorable Tom Blalock, Chair, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
Jeff Morales, Director, California Department of Transportation
David Gunn, President, Amtrak
Tom Mulligan, Director of Passenger Operations, Union Pacific
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Press Release
Source: Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
ADVISORY/Groundbreaking Ceremony to
Commemorate $88 Million in Track and Station
Improvements to Support Additional Capitol
Corridor Trains Between Oakland and San Jose
WHAT: A groundbreaking ceremony to commemorate $88
million in track and station improvements to support additional
Capitol Corridor trains between Oakland and San Jose
Wednesday September 25, 4:35 pm ET
(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WHEN/WHERE: Friday, September 27, 2002 at 2:08 p.m. (upon
arrival of Capitol Corridor Train 537) Oakland Amtrak Station, Jack London Square,
Embarcadero at Alice St.
WHO: State, local and railroad officials, including:
- Gene Skoropowski, Managing Director,
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (MC)
- The Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, Secretary, California Business, Transportation & Housing Agency (KEYNOTE)
- The Honorable Jerry Brown, Mayor, City of Oakland
- The Honorable Tom Blalock, Chair, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
- Jeff Morales, Director, California Department of Transportation
- David Gunn, President, Amtrak
- Tom Mulligan, Director of Passenger Operations, Union Pacific
BACKGROUND: The construction project will span 45 miles and include added tracks
and upgraded infrastructure along the Capitol Corridor between Oakland and San
Jose, plus a future Capitol Corridor Station at the Oakland Coliseum, as well as added
parking and access improvements at the existing Fremont, Great America/Santa Clara,
and Emeryville stations.
BENEFITS:
- Improve attractiveness of Capitol Corridor trains as an alternative to auto trips
- Take trucks off the highways by allowing more freight train throughput
- Improves air quality
- Overall improvement in quality of life to Californians in the Bay Area
FUNDING: This program is financed through the Governor's Traffic Congestion Relief
Program (TCRP), California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and funds from
local cities and communities.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Media coverage of the ceremony to begin the construction project
is encouraged. Some of the speakers will arrive in Oakland from Sacramento aboard
Capitol Corridor Train 537 (departs Sacramento at 12:10 p.m., arrives Oakland at 2:08
p.m.) Members of the media are invited to ride the train to Oakland if their schedule
permits.
Note: Ray Burns of TrainWeb rode this train and attended the event.
Click here to view the photos posted below.
WEBSITE: www.amtrakcapitols.com
Source: Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
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Governor Davis Announces
Capitol Corridor Rail Improvements
09/27/2002
San Jose and Oakland Rail Passengers to Benefit From $88 Million Improvements
Sacramento
Governor Gray Davis today announced the start of the work on track and station improvements that will
increase the number of trains and save travel time between Oakland and San Jose "This work represents my
commitment to enhanced transportation facilities in the Bay Area," Gov. Davis said. "These improvements
will help reduce traffic congestion and benefit our economy."
The project calls for upgrading rail lines between Oakland and San Jose and improving the Emeryville
station. It also improves connectivity with the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and the Alameda Contra
Costa Transit District (AC Transit).
In addition, a new station will be built adjacent to the Coliseum BART station to provide improved
intermodal access to BART and the Oakland Airport.
The Capitol Corridor service is the third busiest rail line in America. Funding for the project includes $23
million from the Governor's historic $5.3 billion Traffic Congestion Relief Program (TCRP), which is
designed to improve mobility throughout California.
The Capitol Corridor project is part of Governor Davis' transportation program that will provide more
trains and faster service for passengers. Earlier this summer, the Governor inaugurated work on the $128
million in Caltrain Express, dubbed the "Baby Bullet," which also was partially financed through the
TCRP. The train is expected to speed travelers between San Jose and San Francisco in record time and also
relieve traffic congestion.
The Capitol Corridor passenger service started in December 1991.
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Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
The CCJPA is comprised of six (6) rail transit or transportation agencies with responsibility for
transportation along the eight county Capitol Corridor Service area:
- Placer County Transportation Planning Agency
- Sacramento Regional Transit District
- San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
- Santo Clara Valley Transportation Authority
- Solano County Transportation Agency
- Yolo County Transportation District
The elected officials of the six member transportation agencies within the Capitol Corridor represent the
governing board of the CCJPA. As administrator of the Service, the CCJPA's primary focus is the
continuous improvement of the Capitol Corridor Service through cost management, revenue enhancement
and customer service to deliver safe, reliable, frequent, high-quality passenger rail service that is a viable
transportation alternative to the congested I-80 and I-880 highway corridors.
The Capitol Corridor Service began in December 1991 with three daily round trip trains between San Jose
and Sacramento. The CCJPA, since assuming management responsibility in October 1998, has and will
continue to expand the Capitol Corridor Service. Beginning in October 1998, utilizing four (4) trainsets,
service was increased to five (5) daily round trips; in February 1999 service increased again to six (6) daily
round trips; in February 2000 service was increased to seven (7) daily round trips. In April 2001 service
was increased to nine (9) daily round-trip trains by obtaining two additional State-owned trainsets for the
Northern California pool (Capitol Corridor and San Joaquin Services).
Even with a flat state budget allocation, the CCJPA has reviewed unproductive services and reallocated
existing funds to permit addition of a 10th frequency on weekdays between Oakland and Sacramento
starting on October 27, 2002
Click on the above picture for a larger image
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
1000 Broadway, Suite 604, Oakland CA 94607; 510-464-6995
www.AMTRAKCAPITOLS.com
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$88 million in Improvements for Capitol Corridor Service
OAKLAND, Calif. – An $88 million program to improve track and stations for additional Capitol
Corridors train service between Oakland and San Jose began on Friday, Sept. 27, 2002, with official
groundbreaking ceremonies at Amtrak's Jack London Square Station in Oakland.
When completed, more passenger and freight trains will operate between the two Bay Area cities,
with increased reliability and reduced travel time, thereby improving the attractiveness of Capitol Corridor
trains as an alternative to the congested I-80 corridor. Other benefits include taking trucks off the highways
by allowing more freight train throughput, improving air quality and contributing to the overall
improvement in the quality of life for Californians in the Bay Area.
The construction project will span 45 miles and includes added tracks and upgraded infrastructure
along the Capitol Corridor between Oakland and San Jose, plus added parking and access improvements at
the existing Fremont, Great America/Santa Clara and Emeryville stations.
This construction program also includes a future Capitol Corridor Station at the Oakland Coliseum
that will have an intermodal connection to BART trains and serve Oakland International Airport through
AirBART shuttle buses and the future BART – Oakland International Airport Connector.
The $88 million program is financed through the Governor's Traffic Congestion Relief Program,
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and funds from local cities and communities.
Participants at the groundbreaking included: California Secretary of Transportation & Housing
Agency Maria Contreas-Sweet; Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, BART Director Tom Blalock, who chairs the
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority; Director of California Department of Transportation Jeff Morales,
Amtrak President David Gunn, Union Pacific Director of Passenger Operations Tom Mulligan.
Click on the above picture for a larger image
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Future Oakland Coliseum Intercity Rail Station
Coming in 2003
Future Oakland Coliseum Intercity Rail Station
Click on the above pictures for larger images
The new Oakland Coliseum Intercity Rail Station Project in Oakland, California simultaneously enhances
both regional and local community connections; and will potentially influence land development in the area
toward the creation of a revitalized infill community. The project will add a new commuter rail station at
the existing Oakland Coliseum sports and entertainment complex for the highly successful Capitol Corridor
commuter rail line currently running between Sacramento, California and San Jose, California. This
additional station will add convenience for the patrons of the commuter rail system and provide them with
easier multi-modal connections to:
- BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit District) trains and AC Transit Buses that will connect to destinations
throughout the East Bay and San Francisco
- Oakland International Airport through the existing shuttle bus service and the future plans for a people
mover connection into the terminal area
- Sporting and entertainment events at the Coliseum
In addition to facilitating these regional connections, the project will enable greater use of public
transportation to the Coliseum and Oakland Airport by local residents living near other Capitol Corridor
served transit villages in Emeryville, Hayward and Jack London Square. Ultimately, the City of Oakland
plans further transit village development at the Coliseum that will create residential and commercial
opportunities within this multi-modal setting. Taken together, these improved community connections will
favorably impact the mobility and land use-transportation patterns of the San Francisco Bay Area.
The near term commuter rail station will include a 600 foot long, ADA complaint train platform designed
to Amtrak's latest standards; three shelters; a 35 car parking lot; two bus stop locations and a new ADA
complaint pedestrian scissors ramp that will connect the station to the existing Coliseum-BART pedestrian
bridge. Vehicular access will be via a re-designed 73rd Avenue in Oakland that will also provide for
bikeways. The entire site will be landscaped and include the lighting, utilities, sidewalks, public art and
street furniture that will architecturally focus it as a unified facility both as the rail station and as part of the
larger Coliseum complex.
Delivering this community and transportation improvement has involved the efforts and funding of a large
group of agencies working together toward a combination of regional and local objectives. Project
participants include the State of California; the City of Oakland; the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers
Authority; BART; Union Pacific Railroad; and Amtrak
Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
1000 Broadway, Suite 604, Oakland CA 94607; 510-464-6995
www.AMTRAKCAPITOLS.com
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News Articles:
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Photos:
Amtrak President David Gunn shaking hands with Ray Burns of TrainWeb
Click each link below to view each set of photos. Photos were taken of the VIPs on the train from Sacramento to Oakland,
the speakers at the event, and of the event itself:
Set #01 /
Set #02 /
Set #03 /
Set #04 /
Set #05
Set #06 /
Set #07 /
Set #08 /
Set #09 /
Set #10
More photos of people at the event, including titles.
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